27/01/2026 | 16:59:07 Thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you to the rapporteur. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of democracy. But times in which parliamentary terms in Europe were completed, and elections were held under conditions of normality, now seem very distant. Today, crises are the new normal, and this situation has three basic political consequences. Politics has become a magnet for people who combine public relations skills with audacity. At the same time, it has become more online than live and... 01/10/2025 | 19:58:06 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) Ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues, The participation of young people in political processes touches the core of a major challenge for Europe: the quality and resilience of Democracy. Unlike what happened for many decades after the Second World War, today’s young people face additional obstacles in their pursuit of happiness: a society where inequalities are widening, a labor market that discriminates against the young, a social... 09/04/2025 | 16:31:06 Thank you, Mister Chairman. I will speak in Greek. In recent years, we have seen rising and constant concerns about human rights and democracy in Türkiye. This time round the Mayor of Istanbul was deprived of his powers on the basis of corruption charges, so we could spend hours debating the reasons for these charges, but I would like to talk about facts. The fact that an elected official is no longer able to run for office is something which should be worrying all of us. Similarly, his... 08/04/2025 | 11:41:19 We are talking about a very interesting issue, the question of foreign interference and whether it constitutes a threat to democracy and security in Europe. May I start by making a general point in the world since the end of the Second World War, and after it took shape after 1989, and following the phase of globalisation, that world is now falling apart. That evolution was not fully understood by our leaders in Europe nor was it sufficiently well explained to our citizens. Those facts are... 28/01/2025 | 13:31:47 (Undelivered speech, Rules of Procedure Art. 31.2) The major global institutions, including the Council of Europe, were born in the aftermath of World War II with a dual purpose: on the one hand, to ensure that humanity would never again experience such events, and on the other, to set humanity on a path of prosperity and progress by addressing the causes that led to two World Wars and their consequences. This now being fundamentally shaken. To be honest, this destabilization didn’t happen... 03/10/2024 | 18:12:24 Thank you, Mister President. I will speak in Greek. Ladies and gentlemen, in this decade, after a lengthy period of relative peace, Europe has come to the realisation that security issues long underestimated by the EU and NATO must now be addressed with renewed urgency. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the climate crisis have prompted the European countries to prioritise the energy transition. Beyond its environmental goals, this transition holds a strategic... 03/10/2024 | 12:22:47 Mister President, Welcome Mister Minister, and thank you for your speech. I suppose you agree that the respecting of the European acquis and also the international agreements, such as Prespa Agreements, particularly regarding core provisions, such as the name, or the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance with Bulgaria, are not only bilateral issues but also fundamental conditions for the European integration of the West Balkan countries, which includes, of course, North... 01/10/2024 | 16:22:59 Thank you, Mister President, dear colleagues I will speak in Greek. I would like to refer to the problem of migration which is an extremely serious issue. And as we know a certain number of countries are changing tacks in terms of immigration policies and backtracking when it comes to commitments entered into within the Schengen area. Crises, wars in Africa, in Asia, authoritarian or dictatorial regimes - all these have led to increases in migratory flows. I think there are also economic... 25/06/2024 | 11:03:03 First of all, I would like to thank and to congratulate Mr George PAPANDREOU and Mr Anastasios CHATZIVASILEIOU for their very interesting points. Now allow me to speak in Greek. Ladies and gentlemen, The recent European elections have confirmed the tendency that we have seen in recent years in the Western world for reduced participation in elections of all kinds. It's true that parliamentary democracy has become more participatory. It has given the floor to those groups that were either... 17/04/2024 | 20:09:09 I will speak in Greek. Ladies and gentlemen, We are debating here a report about Albania. At the very heart of this report, is a matter that is essential both in terms of human rights, but also in terms of values. I'm talking about Fredi Beleri, an important member of the Greek minority in Albania. He was elected as a mayor in the most recent local elections, and since yesterday, his name has been put forward as a candidate to the European elections on behalf of the New Democracy party. Mr...